The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-06-12


The little incident made me all the
more anxious to see the Doc. | founC
him at the house of friend of his
where a mild and quiet game o.
draw" was in progress, when | wa
ushered in. BY the way, | wonde
why so many gamblers-for that i
what the Doc. is now-gain the it'll
of doctor. Is it because the medica
profession frequently loses member
who prefers to take chances with his
own money rather than with other
peoples lives, or is it smile from
dentistry founded on the fact that
gamblers are always drawing and
filliDg2" But let that pass. The
former supposition covers the present
case, for the Doc. is q regular grad
uate and entitled to practice. Dur
ing this disgression he has won q
large jack pot, has piled up his checks,
resigned his seat, and greeted me very
pleasantly, He is q man OF medium
height. with slender frame, light
complexion, close cropped curly beard
and mustache, and restless blue eyes
The same restlessness characterizes
his conversation, and this effect was
heightened by bursts of what seemed
to me the very absurdity of frank
ness. Evidently he must have re-
lied implicitly on the man whose
name | brought him, for he told me
many private matters.
| had been told to ask for the
wedding cake story" 30 | soon in
timated my desire to hear it. That
is such a good story" said the Doc,
and | have told it 30 many times,
that ] can hardly be sure of telling
it just as it occurred. You know
there's a great temptation to embel-
lish good yarn till you can't your
self tell whether you're bluiiing or
only betting your hand"
From subsequent investigation |
fear that the Doc was "bluffing"
little, but the main facts of the story
are as he told them to me. | will
not attempt to reproduce his words,
for | could not do them justice. They
were too rich in the expressive meta
phOr of the green cloth. The story
ran about as follows: The Doc and
a pal concluded to pay visit to the
center of American culture on the
shore of Massachusetts bay. They
were much impressed by many
things they sawItEere-by the State
house, the common, the Old South
church and the magnificent jewelry
in the stores on Washington street.
The first three we're fastened down,
but the last was movable, so the pals
concluded to take some of it as
Of their visit.
The store of Shreve, Crump II
Low is on the corner Of Summer and
Washington streets. There is an
entrance on the latter which admits
to the part of the store
where the the goods are displayed;
and another on Summer street which
is near the private Office. 1t hap
pened that but one member Of the
firm was in the Office when q hand
.omely dressed man called one after
noon. The visitor would have none
Of the clerks; he must see the pro-
prietOr, 80 he was ushered into the
private Office. He bowed politely,
and said: II am building a residence
in Brockton whichis nearly oomplet-
Cd, and | want some artistic little |
busts and bronEes. They must be |
tbe best, was sent to you as q man
who could assist my judgment and in |
whom / could implicitly rely"
The member Of the firm was fiat
.ered. He left the private office and |
proceeded to show his gentlemanly |
visitor the wealth OF art which lay |
lpon the counters. Considerable |
line was occupied in discussing the
merits of these articles, in which
both men seemed greatly interested. !
Meantime there had been another